Texas drought forces suspension at fish hatchery

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March 15, 2012 9:13:39 AM PDT

WICHITA FALLS, TX --

Texas wildlife officials have closed one of the state's five fish hatcheries because of lack of water from the ongoing drought.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fish hatcheries director Todd Engeling said Thursday in a news release that two lakes that feed Dundee State Fish Hatchery southwest of Wichita Falls have not gotten the good rains enjoyed recently in other parts of the state.

The release says Lake Kemp is 1 foot above the level at which the hatchery loses authorization to use water from the lake.

The 97 ponds at Dundee, where striped bass and hybrid striped bass are primarily produced, represent 34 percent of Texas' available capacity for freshwater fish production.